Circuit-breaker



m. 6l7,503. Patnted Jan. l0, I899. P. R. GOLDEY.

CIRCUIT BREAKER. (Application filed Mar. 2, 1898.)

(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

FIG?

I'Y/TIYES-SES" Patented Ian. l0, I899.

P. R. GULDEY. CIRCUIT BREAKER.

(Application filed Mar. 2, 189B.)

2 Sheets-Shoot 2.

(No Mbdel.)

FIG 6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

PAUL R. GOLDEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE GENERAL EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CAMDEN,

NEW JERSEY.

CIRCUIT-BREAKER,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,503, dated January 10, 1899.

Application filed March 2, 1898, Serial No. 672,225. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL R. GOLDEY, a oitizen of the United States of America, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Circuit- Breakers, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part IO thereof.

My invention relates to circuit-breakers of the type in which an abnormally excessive flowof current through the line is utilized to actuate the circnit-breaker and open the line,

the object of my invention being to provide an apparatus of this kind in which the danger of springing an are between the ends of the circuit-wire opened by the breaker will be avoided and also one having novel and effi- 2o cient devices for automatically accomplishing the movement of the switch-lever which opens the circuit, as well as various other improvements in details of construction.

The nature of myimprovements will be best 2 5 understood as described in connection with the drawings, in which they are illustrated, and in which Figure l is a plan View of my circuit-breaker; Fig. 2, a side elevation, shown partly in section; Fig. 3, a front elevation; Fig. 4:, a side elevation similar to that shown in Fig. 2, except that the switch is in the latter case represented as open. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional plan view taken on the section-line so as of Fig. 2, and Figs. 6 and 7 are partial side elevations of modifications embodying one of the leading features of my invention.

A indicates a wall or switchboard to which the breaker is attached. B is a casting secured to this wall, having formed in its under side the cylindrical spring-box B and having extending out from its face Webs, forming at top the arms 13' B and at bottom the arms B B A forward extension of the same 4 5 plate serves to support the springs G G, which engage the switch-lever and check the impetus of its fall as it passes to the position shown in Fig. 4

0 indicates a pivot-pin secured between the arms B and upon which is pivoted the switch-lever G, at the upper end of which lever is formed the box or casing C to receive an electromagnet and the hand-lever C 0 0 indicate arms or legs extending out from the inner upper face of the box C and to which are attached insulatingblocks C O".

0 indicates a slot in the lever 0, formed below the box or casing 0 and C is a heel extension of the lever, which, as shown, lies substantially at right angles to the general direction of the lever G.

D indicates an electromagnet secured in the casing C and preferably, as shown, in the form of a solenoid-coil. Dindicates the core of this solenoid, to the lower end of which is attached the open rectangular frame D D being an adjustable screw extending down from the top of the frame, as shown.

E E are carbon contacts attached to the in sulated blocks 0 by means of the conducting and elastic plates E E.

E E indicate metal contact-plates also attached to the blocks 0 and in electrical contact with the plates E, and E E indicate the terminals of the electromagnet -coil,which are connected, respectively, with the plates E on the opposite sides of the lever.

F F are carbon contact-plates secured to conducting-heads F by conducting and elas tic strips F, these carbon plates making contact, as shown, with the plates E, while metal plates F F are provided to make contact with the metal plates E It will be understood, of course, that the blocks or heads F are each connected and form the terminals of separate sections of the line-circuit.

H is a pivot-pin secured to the arms B and upon which is pivoted the catch-lever II, having, as shown, a recess II and a nose or pro j ection 11*. I H ts a catch-releasing lever which,as shown, is formed integral with the lever I I, extending out on the other side of the pivot H, and II is a spring arranged in connection with the outer end of the lever II to press it upward and the catch-lever H downward.

J is a rod extending across through the slot C in the lever G and with which. the recessed portion II of the catch-lever II engages, as best shown in Fig. 2.

I is a lever which, as shown, is pivoted on the pin II and to the upper end of which is attached the hammer I. The lever I turns freely on its pivot II and is provided with two pins, one (indicated at I) being so placed as when the lever is thrown upward to the position shown in Fig. 2 to rest against a stop I holding the lever in the position shown. The other pin (indicated at 2') is for use in raising the lever to the position shown in Fig. 2 after it has fallen inward from that position.

I is an arm pivoted on the pin II and having pivoted to its outer end one end of the link I which at its lower end is pivotally connected at I with the heel extension 0 of the lever C.

Returning to the pin, J J J indicate a lever pivoted on this pin, one end, J, of which extends into the rectangular frame D while the other end, J lies normally immediately in front of and close to the lever I, as shown in Fig. 2. Preferably I employ a nose or lug J which in the normal position of the lever lies immediately below the nose II' of the lever II.

K indicates a spring secured in the box or casing B and acting to press upward a piston or plunger head K, from which a rod K extends through a perforation IS in the casing and has attached to its upper end a friction-roller K which lies in contact with the heel extension (J of the switch-lever C.

lhe normal position of the parts is as shown in Fig. 2, the solenoid-core being supported through the adj Listing-screw D on the end of the lever J and the lever I,-with its hammer-head I inclined slightly outward and resting on the stop I. On the occurrence of an abnormally high current in the line the solenoid D, which is in the line, is energized to a sufficient extent to raise the cord 1) and bring the lower end of the .rectangular frame D into contact with the under side of the lever J, raising this end of the lever and pushing inward the other end J which, striking against the lever I, pushes it inward until the center of gravity of the hammer-head comes inside of the pivot H, whereupon the said hammer-head falls, striking on the outer end of the catch-releasing leverll forcing it down and the catch-lever II upward, so as to release its hold on the pin J. Preferably I make the raising of the lever end J through its nose J act upon the nose II" of the catch-lever I'I, partly raising this lever before the hammer-head strikes the lever H thus facilitating the action of releasing the lever G, which as soon as the catch loses its hold on the pin J is thrown downward by the action of the spring K and its connections pressing upward on the heel extension 0. As the lever 0' falls its heel extension O rises to the position shown in Fig. 4, and acting through the links I and I by means of the engagement of the upper edge of the link I with the pin 1' the lever I is automatically raised to its normal positionthat is to say, the position in which it rests against the stop I"so that all that remains to be done in again closing the circuit is for the operator to raise the switclrlever from the position shown in Fig. i to that shown in Fig. 2.

A prime feature of my invention lies in having the magnet which actuates the switchreleasing devices attached to and movable with the switch-lever, so that in the act of breaking contact all metal parts are moved bodily away from between the terminals of the line-circuit, thus avoiding a danger, which has been found a serious one, of having the current spring an are, or rather, arcs between the terminals and metal parts, such as a stationary magnet lying between the terminals. This feature of my invention may of course be used in connection with any catchreleasing mechanism-for example, such devices as are shown in Figs. 0 and 7, in the first of which the lever-arm J is provided on the other side of the pivot-pin J with an extension J from which projects a pin J this pin being adapted to engage, as shown, with a hook-like detent B on the arms 13'. Obviously as the core D is drawn upward the lower end of the frame D striking against the arm J, will force the arm J", and thus effeet the release of the arm C. In the other modificationthat shown in Fig. 7I show a lever II, pivoted at II, as in the case of my preferred construction, but with its end extending forward into the frame In order to avoid the risk of throwing the hammer inward over its pivoted center in the act of closing the switch, I have found it advisable to provide means for latching the hammer in place while the closing of the switch takes place, and a convenient device for doing this is shown in Fig. 4,consisting of a light metal plate M, extending down from the hammer in position to engage with a notch M in the lever II when said lever is raised by the passage of pin J under it.

In Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings I have exhibited my invention in the form which I consider the best adapted for its utilization. I do not, however, wish to be understood as limiting my claims to the special construction shown and to the execution of snbstantial equivalents thereof, and therefore it is to be understood that except where expressly limited to special details of construction my claims are intended to be broadly construed.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a circuit-breaker, the combination with the lineterminals, as F F, of a pivoted switch-arm, as C, carrying terminals as E E and a magnet, as D, attached to the arm C and situated in the connection between the terminals E E, a catch to hold the switch in position to engage the terminals F F and E I),

a spring to throw the switch down on release of the catch, and an armature arranged in connection with the magnet and catch as described and so as to release said catch on the occurrence of any abnormal current in the line.

2. In a circuit-breaker, the combination of a pivoted switch-carrying arm as O, a spring acting to throw said switch, a catch to hold the arm in position to close the circuit, a catchactuating lever as I1 arranged to release the catch, a pivoted lever I carrying a hammerhead I said lever being arranged to fall freely toward the lever H a stop, as 1, arranged to support the lever I in a nearly upright position, an electromagnet situated in the circuit closed by the switch, an armature arranged to be actuated by said magnet on the occurrence of an abnormal current, and a lever J J actuated by said armature whereby the lever is pushed away from its stop and with the hammer I' caused'to fall upon the lever H thereby releasing the catch.

:3. In a circuit-breaker, the combination of a pivoted switch-carrying arm as C, a spring acting to throw said switch, a catch to hold the arm in position to close the circuit, a catch-actuating lever arranged to release the catch, a hammer normally supported at a distance from said actuating-lever and arranged to impinge upon it when released, an electromagnet situated in the circuit closed by the switch, an armature arranged to be actuated by said magnet on the occurrence of an abnormal current, means actuated by said armature whereby the hammer is released and permitted to impinge on the catch-actuating lever, and means actuated by the switch-lever arranged to restore the hammer to the normal position as said lever is thrown to open the switch.

4. In a circuit breaker, substantially as specified, the combination of a pivoted switchlever having a heel extension 0, a catch, as H, arranged to hold the lever in position to close the circuit, a catch-actuating lever as H a pivoted lover I with hammer-head I arranged as described to fall on the lever H when thrust over its center of support, a spring as K arranged to act against the heel extension 0 and means, as levers I I, actuated by the heel extension and operating on the lever I to restore it to normal position.

5. In a circuit breaker, substantially as specified, the switch-lever O in combination with a catch and catch-actuating lever as H H the pivoted lever and hammer-head I I the lever J J pivoted on lever O, and arranged in connection with lever I as described, an electromagnet carried on the lever G and an armature as D D arranged, when actuated to act on lever J J as described.

6. In a circuit-breaker, substantially as specified, the switch-lever G in combination with a catch and catch actuating lever as H 11 the pivoted lever and hammer-head I I", the lever J J having a nose as J 3 pivoted on lever O and arranged in connection with lever I and lever II, as described, an electromagnet carried on the lever O and an armature, as D D arranged when actuated to act on lever J J 2 as described,

PAUL R. GOLDEY.

Witnesses:

CHAS. F. MYERS, D. STEWART. 

